The integrated biomarker response in three anuran species larvae at sublethal concentrations of cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, and glufosinate-ammonium

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the response in larvae of the anuran species Rhinella arenarum, Rhinella dorbignyi and Odontophrynus americanus exposed to glyphosate (GLY, 2.5 mg L⁻¹), cypermethrin (CYP, 0.013 mg L⁻¹), chlorpyrifos (CP, 0.1 mg L⁻¹) and glufosinate-ammonium (GLU, 15 mg L⁻¹) using two behavioral endpoints: mean speed (MS) and total distance moved (TD); and two enzymatic biomarkers: acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). In order to assess a global response and to determine the most sensitive species, an integrated biomarker response (IBR) index was calculated. Behavioral biomarkers were tested at 1 and 60 min, and the enzymes at 60 min after exposure. The results showed that: (1) there were statistical differences between species in a series of responses in swimming behavior, and cholinesterase activities within the first-hour of exposure to CYP, GLY, and CP at environmentally relevant concentrations (ERC); (2) IBR determined that Rhinella species were the most sensitive of the species tested and (3) IBR provided a comprehensive assessment of the health status of species exposed to ERC of a wide variety of agrochemicals globally and frequently used.

Keywords:

• Agrochemicals
• cholinesterase activities
• environmentally relevant concentration
• Rhinella
• swimming behavior

Acknowledgments

We thank C. Junges and P. Grenon for lab assistance. We also thank translator María Delia Bertuzzi Barberis and Camila Almeida for editing the English language of the manuscript.

Ethical approval

Animals used in this research have been treated according to ASIH et al. (2011) criteria and with approval from the animal ethics committee of the School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences. http://www.fbcb.unl.edu.ar/pages/investigacion/comite-deetica.php

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported in part by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT FONCyT, PICT, N° 1069, PICT N° 2018 N° 3293), Curso de Acción para la Investigación y Desarrollo (CAI + D-UNL) and Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional (CIN).